Skyliner

Don't be surprised if you se a LOT more interest from the record companies based off the "Aria" material than the flowermetal stuff, Jake. It may be atypical for you guys, but it's a "signature moment" type of piece......

I guess in certain ways, but it *does* bore me that the generally softer song which is easier to say is 'more emotional' and so forth may always get more attention. I would consider it *a* song like that but I would consider 'Symphony in Black' the same. In terms of top tier, 'what do we sound like' things, that are perfectly representative in music and lyrics. 'Vendetta' not as much although I'm still very fond of it. I do very much fly that flag of melodic, heavy, fast metal in the classic style and a huge portion of my heart is there and I think that comes through. I don't mind something like 'Aria' being very high up there in terms of what people think of us but it needs to be #2, things such as 'Symphony' need to be #1. Then after those, all the other stuff... the more midtempo things, or things which are experimental in a different way..

It's not flower metal either..

Yeah it is, 'cause it's not brutal enough!

What it is that really separates "Aria", however is the very fact that it stands out IS so different from the other 2 tunes. I'm not sure it's "more emotional" or "softer", or anything of the like. Frankly, it's the extended middle heavy section that draws me to the song most. the guitar work is top notch stuff during that, and VERY heavy, in a moody, doomy sort of way....it REALLY recalls at first Iron Maiden, then switches gears towards Morgion and perhaps the ambience of Alchemist for me.

Symphony also has some similar moments, as far as mood and ambience go, like right before the first verse kicks in. It's also got a GREAT lead section in the middle.....not technically demanding, or blazing balls out speed and sweeps, but just what is called for (THIS , IMO, is really what the Skyliner "signature" has become to my ears, from listening to these demos....).

I'm a "frustrated musician" type of guy, with a boxfull of riffs and
parts, and no real way of recording anything myself...no musical
"partners" to work with and refine stuff like you guys do....It's kind of....vicariously exciting, if you will....to have people I'm acquainted with put out music of this caliber. I've "known" OCI since he was something like 14 or 15 years old....It's just...cool.... to see what's come out of the project, and I'm excited about it, and excited for you guys.

Unfortunately, I'm not really a sunshine and roses, and "Skyliner can do no wrong" type of guy. I've spent some significant listening time with Skyliner over the last 3 days, and I'm going to be honest about stuff. I feel like you guys deserve no less than that, knowing how much effort goes into the project....

I really like the MUSIC for Vendetta.....but after hearing what you can do vocally on "Aria" and "Symphony"....the vocal performance is pretty weak to be bluntly honest......Most certainly NOT saying that to be rude or picky, but it sounds like its a bit of a challenge to get to some of the low notes for you, and there's some some noticeable pitch things going on during the choruses. And the performance on "Aria" is so spot on, the flaws in the "Vendetta" vocals simply make it stand out that much more, with it coming AFTER Vendetta in the tracklist.

Overall, it is EXTREMELY good music, though, all the way around. I can tell there was a LOT of care put into the parts and arrangements here....there's not any "overplaying"....everything fits nicely, and the various parts are pretty much exactly what is called for, and nothing more. Everything sits in it's own space and makes for a totally cohesive overall sound.

BFTD, I want to make a special note to you here: VERY well done. I know I've tossed you some crap about the keyboard thing....I want you to know, for absolute certain, that I am JUST tossing you crap. You've got a GREAT feel for when and HOW to support the music, and WHAT to play when it's your turn for the spotlight. It is a rare, rare thing for me to NOT "miss" the 2nd guitar because a keyboard player merely tries to "replace" the 2nd guitar, and you've done a truly admirable job of NOT falling into the trap.

That's also real cool and real helpful. I don't want this to come out sounding weird or wrong but it's cool you said this:

not technically demanding, or blazing balls out speed and sweeps, but
just what is called for (THIS , IMO, is really what the Skyliner
"signature" has become to my ears, from listening to these demos....).

because writing stuff is just something where no matter what is thrown in the blender I have to really really really make sure it just tastes right and if it does to you, as in right here it seems like what I strive for, comes through, that's super encouraging and also helps me sort of be continually comfortable in our 'identity' whatever that may be... like in terms of, how do others see our stuff. If that makes sense.

In 'Vendetta' I would like to correct a thing or two at some point before pressing, though not the choruses... those seem OK to me.. could be the mix between the backing vocals and the lower lead might need to be tweaked... to *me*, I would want to clean up parts of the last verse of the song, for some reason I dunno if I remember that take or not being on there but apparently it is and it's been bugging me very much above anything so I can take care of that quickly when we go in to put the little tiny polishing stuff on it before the CD is pressed, the last 2% of work to be done.

The opinion about the keys is really cool also and I know BFTD will be spazzed to see. Again it's something that thought is put into that I'm glad is being noticed. I have a very specific idea of what instruments are what and how everything should have really nice roles in things according to the compositions and so on... we didn't just start the band and throw in 3 guitar players because we thought because it's metal that's what it needs, or whatnot. There's 1 guitar and how I write, it does what it does, then the bass I like to have it's big voice, so it does what it does, then the keys have a huge amount of potential to do a big variety of things so we work together on that and trade off ideas to give them the same due presence but they along with the rest of the instruments, put together turn out something I would like to *think* is somewhat of an 'original sound', and it sounds right to me. Make sense (again)?

Thanks. Don't worry about giving me crap, I can take it. I'm just glad you like my the keys.

I'm working on building it up and bringing together other ideas while still maintaing that balance. I take what I hear and listen to (that has keyboards) and think about it and put my own spin on it. It's a balance of adding to that atmosphere and standing out at the right spots. A lot of it comes from just getting better at it (had to really force myself up the ladder to be consistent about it).


Thanks again. I really appreciate the affirmation.